Butterfly Hill development breaches planning rules

The construction of a new road, and plans to build new homes, on Butterfly Hill appears to be a clear breach of planning rules – but government agencies are unwilling to act.

In the last six months a developer has cleared approximately a hectare of trees and vegetation and built a new road on the site, just northwest of old Mui Wo town. The developer is reportedly planning to build five homes.

But neither the Buildings Department nor the Planning Department has received an application for new housing or roadworks, Apple Daily reports.

The Planning Department said the land is zoned for agricultural use under the Outline Zoning Plan. Any kind of reclamation or building works would require the permission of the Town Planning Board. It would investigate any potential breach of the Town Planning Ordinance, it said.

Land clearance

However, Miffy Ng from Save Lantau Alliance says she had the same response when she informed the department of the construction work in March.

“It is clearly not to develop agriculture,” she said. She warned that the land was no longer protected by vegetation and was concerned about the risk of mudslides. “The ecology has been destroyed and the need for conservation is urgent.”

Ownership of the land is unclear. It is registered to Keymax Holdings (基明集團有限公司), which is wholly-owned by a British Virgin Islands registered company called Acota Services Ltd.